The difference a decade makes

I'm still trying to get the photos from last weekend uploaded. We finally got our permanent internet installed in our house, and it's working quite well.  If we can keep little miss and crazy little man from pulling the cord out of the computer.  Still, it's nice to have it, and hopefully I'll get some photos up.

As I was walking to work, looking all around me as if I was a film noir detective, I started to think of what a long strange trip it has been for me in the last decade.  Ten years ago, I was in Suriname, one year into my tour there.  I was finally finding my feet at the Embassy, had just started to work for a wonderful boss, and was a radio dj one night a week as Cactus Jack Wallace on Radio Apintie.  (I still wear the t-shirt I had made with the Sranan phrase for It's been a long strange trip.)  I also had just started to hang out with the members of the Peace Corps, many of whom I am still in touch with today.  (Hi guys!)  I would say that the year between 2001-2002 kept me in the Foreign Service.  I had a great time visiting Sundi and Delicious out at their village.  I drove into the middle of the jungle by myself to visit Elizabeth and Beth at their village.  (I had to take a boat to get there.)  I even went to French Guiana.  It was the new beginning for me.

I then went to London where not only did I have a great time hanging out with the Marines and just having fun, I met the love of my life.  Luckily for me, she was easily duped and agreed to marry me one year after I returned to DC.  13 months after we got married, and after a move to Luxembourg, we welcomed my lovely daughter into the family.  Living in Luxembourg was easy, but work wasn't.  Difficult wasn't the word I'd use, but this is a somewhat family blog.  After finding out we were going to Bolivia, we had my son, who completed the family.

Bolivia sadly wasn't in the cards.  My lovely little girl was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.  We were staying in DC.  Working on Afghanistan was rewarding and challenging, but also difficult.  Little girl started school at the age of 2, getting on a bus everyday to ride 30 minutes, which made me sad.  While it was great to be with my friends again in DC, which I very much enjoyed, it was time to go after two years.  So, 12 years after joining the Foreign Service, and 10 years after realizing this WAS what I wanted to do, we're now settled in South Africa.  It's different, and there are still problems, but I'm glad I stuck through the hard times.  Little girl is getting what she needs in therapies, crazy little man appears to be very happy here (he just started soccer practice, as I've stated before) and my Yorkshire lass appears to be a bit sunnier.

As I approached the Consulate I realized that I had come a long way.  (Not from my home which is only 1 km from the office.)  But, I wouldn't have gotten here without my friends and family.  Thanks everyone.  I'm in a much happier place now than I was 10 years ago.